Watching Him In His Field Of Memories
by CyborgRockStar
Summary: [discontinued] The memories of his past overwhelmed Kai, so now he is stuck inside of his mind and institutionilized. His friends, the BladeBreakers and Demolition Boys, are worried for him, but all they can do is watch...
1. I

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade; it belongs to Aoki Takao.

**Watching Him In His Field Of Memories**

_I'm roving through a field that is speckled with wildflowers of purple and blue. _

_The sky is bright blue, fluffy white clouds rolling slowly along due to the force of the gentle wind caressing my face. _

_Even in this beautiful place, some feelings of fear and hate linger in my heart, weighing down my soul with their unwanted burden. _

_Why are they there? _

_What am I afraid of?_

_What do I hate?_

_I can't answer these questions, though I wish I could. _

_But for now, in this peaceful reverie, I'll be content with my ignorance in that subject. _

_I like this feeling of being shielded from the bad, being able to enjoy this natural beauty surrounding me._

_Suddenly, I feel a fire in my heart. _

_Flames flickering and dancing inside of me, and it's a familiar feeling. _

_The flames grow larger and stronger, and abruptly, in the distance, I see a fast-approaching shape, also familiar. _

_As it nears, I notice it's a phoenix. _

_A phoenix?_

_Why a phoenix?_

_It looks familiar, what's it doing here?_

_The phoenix alights next to me, a happy sound, like the purring of a cat, erupting from its throat. _

_I stop wandering about, and I stare at it. _

_It's red, a bright, blazing red, making that purring noise as it gazes at me with indescribable emotion dancing in its black eyes._

_Why is it watching me so?_

_Another wind blows by, harder than the last, and a red feather floats off of the magnificent creature before me. _

_I reach out and catch it. _

_The contact causes memories to rush through my mind._

_FLASH_

_A great, red phoenix rises from a spinning object in a blinding glow of light. _

_I'm gawking at it in awe._

_FLASH_

_I'm yelling a name out at this magnificent beast, in a stadium, with glaring lights and shouting people..._

"_Dranzer?" I say, and my voice echoes throughout this field._

_It purrs more enthusiastically, and begins rubbing its mighty head against my hand. _

_I pet it, and memories play like a movie in my mind. _

_I see another familiar object in my memories, but what is it?_

_I wait, and the phoenix—Dranzer—shows me what it is. _

_FLASH_

_A beyblade?_

_I see it, spinning, crashing and colliding with another._

_And I see myself, commanding it. _

_Interesting…_

_But I brush off these thoughts. _

_I want to stay in the present. _

_In the here and now, with this phoenix._

"_Dranzer…there's something here…in my heart…haunting me," I tell the mythical bird, hoping for some answers._

_Or am I hoping for answers?_

_Maybe I don't want to know what's scaring me, what I hate._

_Dranzer bows its head, sadness radiating from it now. _

_Beating its giant wings, the phoenix lifts itself up and flies away, back to where it came from, leaving me alone again._

_But I don't want to be alone._

"_Dranzer!" I call out, hoping it will return. _

_Instead, another heavy wind blows by, and another red feather flutters to me._

_I drop the first, and grab the second._

_This feather holds the memory of people…I don't know who they are, but they seem so familiar…_

_FLASH_

_A boy with a cap, a blonde boy, a boy with long, raven hair, and a boy with a laptop. _

_This feather, this memory, shows them with me, and…they're saving me. _

_Saving me from some icy water. _

_And I can feel the doubt and the pain again that I feel in the memory, but I grab their extended hands... _

_I throw down the feather as something dark begins burdening my heart, like the fear and the hate._

_Looking to the sky, I notice the clouds have become gray, and Dranzer is nowhere in sight._

"_Dranzer!" I call out again, but all that responds is the echo of my cry._

_I continue walking through this field, fear and hate and darkness mounting in me. _

_Why?_

"_Dranzer!" I yell again, louder, stopping my walking. _

_Darkness…the darkness grows…I feel something…something dark…approaching…_

_And then I see it. _

_A huge, black bird. _

_It looks like Dranzer, but I know it isn't. _

_It's as black as the night, as dark and evil as hell itself. _

_What is it?_

_Why does it arouse such darkness in my heart?_

_It lands next to me, and I take a step back._

_And then I feel something new…power. _

_Power, and a longing for more._

_I stare in awe at this black phoenix. _

_It screeches, an ugly, evil cry._

_I reach out and pet it, and I can feel power right under my fingertips._

_I forget all about the fear and the hate, and I concentrate on the power. _

_I forget about the peaceful field, and I concentrate on the power._

_Power…that is what this phoenix will bring me._

_But then, I remember Dranzer, and I remember those boys, and I debate against this power. _

_Two people's arguments resound in my head, their mouths and faces I can't see, but I can hear their voices. _

'_Power…power…power is the only thing that matters. Power brings perfection, happiness…escape the pain, take the power…'_

'_Leave it…remember Dranzer…remember those boys…forget the power and the black phoenix…they lead you to Boris, to your grandfather, to BIOVOLT…'_

_Boris?_

_My grandfather?_

_BIOVOLT?_

_A torrent of memories return. _

_FLASH_

_I see a purple-haired man, towering over me, sinister grin plastered on his face, a beyblade of ultimate darkness clutched in his hand, inviting me to take it…_

_FLASH_

_I see an older man, taking me away from two familiar people who share my features, and I look so small…_

_FLASH_

_I see a gigantic building, standing above me, somewhere cold, with huge gates and cloaked guards…_

_I pull away from the black bird. _

_I don't want these memories as I suddenly know the fear and hate in my heart are for Boris, my grandfather._

"_Get away from me!" I shout at the phoenix. "Get away!"_

"_But, Kai…"_

_I turn around quickly, and before me stands an older man…my grandfather._

"_Power. You want it. You know you do…" _

_His voice resonates throughout this plane of existence._

"_No!" I yell at him, and I turn around to run._

_The black phoenix isn't there anymore, and I'm relieved by that, but I don't care…I just run. _

_As I sprint, pictures of those boys and my grandfather and Boris and that building and Dranzer and the black phoenix flash through my brain. _

_And names, too…_

_FLASH_

_Tyson_

_FLASH_

_Max_

_FLASH  
_

_Ray_

_FLASH_

_Kenny_

_FLASH  
_

_Voltaire_

_FLASH_

_Boris_

_FLASH_

_Dranzer_

_FLASH_

_Tala_

_FLASH_

_Bryan_

_FLASH_

_Spencer  
_

_FLASH_

_Ian..._

_And I wonder who those other names belonged to as I keep running._

_And I wonder why I'm not running out of breath._

_Finally, I stop sprinting._

_I stare at the sky, which is red…deep crimson…a shade of blood._

_And more memories come…_

_FLASH_

_I'm sitting in a room. _

_It's dimly-lit, grimy, dusty._

_Tears are trickling down my cheeks._

_I look like I'm only six or seven._

_Blood is caking the left side of my head._

_And a boy, with red hair and limp bangs, comes over to me._

_He has a cloth, and he uses it to dab my face._

_And I'm crying, and he's dabbing…_

_Who is that boy? _

_He looks so familiar._

_But I can't place him._

_And then…_

_FLASH_

_I see another boy, with lilac hair and eyes._

_And he's flicking me off._

_I don't why._

_I'm sitting in another dim room, on a bed. _

_And he's on the bed opposite me._

_Flicking me off, while three other boys sit behind me._

_One of them is that redhead boy._

_The lilac-haired boy has gauze all around his arms, as he sits there, middle finger aimed at me..._

_What was that?_

_Who were those boys?_

_And then…_

_FLASH_

_Two boys, sitting in that dim room, holding each other._

_One's blond, the other has dark hair._

_They're both crying, and there's things in front of them._

_And again, I see me, and the lilac-haired boy, and the redhead boy sitting on beds._

_We're watching them sadly._

_And they're watching those things sadly._

_But I don't know why, right now._

_Those things are small, unmoving, with little pictures of strange creatures on them..._

_But who were those boys?_

_What are all these memories?_

"_I don't understand! Dranzer!" I shout out, and I want the phoenix to come back._

_But instead, the purple-haired man, Boris, comes._

_He's just suddenly there, in front of me._

"_Kai…you want power…you know it…" he whispers to me, and I don't want him to._

_I want him to leave me alone._

_But I'm not going to run again._

_And I want answers._

_So I ask him my questions._

"_Who are these boys I'm seeing? These boys who saved me, and these boys in dim rooms with me. Who are they?"_

"_I don't know, Kai."_

"_Tell me. Just tell me!"_

"_I don't know."_

"_Tell me!"_

_He's silent, then he pulls something from his cloak._

_It's one of those beyblades, with one of those pictures with the strange creatures on it._

_Andthe picture is ofthe black phoenix._

"_No…" I want to scream it, but I can't._

_It just comes out as a whisper._

"_You can't do anything, Kai. Just take it. You want it. You want power…"_

_And I start crying._

_I don't want to do that, but I do._

_First one tear, then another, then many._

_And as I cry, it starts raining._

_I look at the sky._

_It's still blood-red._

_But now the gray clouds are spilling rain, my teardrops._

_And I keep crying, and wishing this will end, and hoping Dranzer will come back._

The BladeBreakers and the Demolition Boys are watching their friend, through a window. Kai is sitting in a white, padded room, huddled in a corner. He's mumbling, and occasionally he yells out things like "Dranzer" and "Tell me". His friends don't know what's happening, and they sadly watch their poor friend, lost in his mind.

A doctor tells them that whatever was in his past pushed him inside himself, because he hated it and feared it so much. All of the emotions of his past, and all of the sudden memories caused him to escape into his mind. The doctor said they don't know if he'll get out of it, but they will wait and see.

For now, Kai stays in the mental institution, his friends watching helplessly as he suffers in his mind, hoping he will escape it. And they have faith he will, because he's strong, and they know he'll pull through.

But all they can do is watch.

* * *

Heya! Hope that wasn't boring, and hope it made at least some sense. I tried…

If you like, I could expand this, and write more chappies so you can see ifKai recovers of not. Mwahaha. If you'd like that, please writesoin your review.

Please review! Thanks!

have a nice day

CyborgRockStar


	2. II

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade; it belongs to Aoki Takao.

Continued where the first left off in Kai's mind…

**Watching Him In His Field Of Memories**

**2**

_As teardrops trickle down my face, the rain keeps falling, dropping harder and harder. _

_Boris watches me, intrigued, but he doesn't speak, just watches my pain._

_Eventually, the rain, as it pours, causes everything to slowly disappear, swallowed up in the water._

_I close my eyes, hoping Dranzer will protect me, but that doesn't happen._

_I can feel coolness around me, and I think it's the water, but I open my eyes again anyway._

_The rain water's gone, and in its place is…darkness._

_Nothing but darkness._

_Everything is black, but I can still see my hand when I put it in front of my face._

_I shudder involuntarily, and I swipe the drying tears from my face, blue paint sticking to my fingers._

_I wonder how I'm standing on something that feels solid, but touching beneath me, I feel nothing._

_And I wonder how all this pall of darkness fell around this place._

_And I wonder why I can still see myself, even though it's as dark as the night sky._

_As I'm thinking these thoughts, a red feather appears from nowhere. _

_But that's where I am anyway…nowhere._

_It appears, and drifts aimlessly through the black._

_It alights but a yard in front of me._

_White ripples expand from where it rests, as if it had made contact with water._

_I watch these ripples extend, sweeping slowly under my feet and around the blackness._

_The ripples fade away into this dark emptiness._

_I reach down, and I feel the soft features of the feather between my curved fingers._

_Once again, I feel no ground or water or anything underneath it, holding it up._

_Picking it up, I examine its perfection._

_In the feather, even though it's opaque, I can see myself in it, like it is a mirror._

_I can see my milky, pale skin, cheeks plastered with smeared blue paint, slate and navy hair, crimson eyes._

_I look weary, tired…_

_I can't read the emotions in my eyes, though._

_I skim my fingers across the red feather._

_The 'reflection' trembles, ripples like water._

_When it's still again, crimson blood is running down its face from its forehead._

_Startled, I lift my hand up and touch my face, but there is no blood there._

_Why is there blood on my reflection if there is none on my face?_

_The color of the feather deepens, and gradually becomes black._

_Gasping, I drop the feather, and it vanishes, fading away into the darkness._

_I stand alone, and I wonder what the meaning of that was. _

Tala's POV

I'm walking to the mental institution that is holding Kai. Well, I suppose it's really his mind that's holding him. He's stuck within his mind, off in some other place. I sigh. His unexpected condition has made all of us downtrodden.

I stare up at the building towering over me. I truly despise this place. Everything is white, and they keep Kai locked in a white room as if he is some savage beast or mass murderer. But there's nothing I can do about that; they told us he was locked in for his own good. Personally, I don't think that makes sense, because he just sits there, mumbling, completely oblivious to his environment.

I walk through the door and down the familiar corridors. This is my first private encounter with Kai here. A nurse directs me into some room for visitors, and I glare at the walls simply because they are white.

I sit down in a chair, nauseated by the whiteness. At least the table isn't white. I fold my hands and rest them on the table in front of me, waiting for them to bring Kai out.

And so they do. A nurse is steering him with her hands on his shoulders. He's mumbling incoherently. I can't help but wonder what he's saying.

The nurse helps Kai sit down, and she smiles sweetly at me. I don't have any reason to smile, so I stare blankly at her. Her smile doesn't fade as she turns and strolls away. I think she should be locked up in a white room if she hides behind her smile, not giving a care if no one's smiling back, just probably thinking she's wonderful brightening people's days with her smile.

But maybe I'm just sour, knowing the condition of my lifelong friend. Her smile probably does cheer up people's day.

But not mine, not today.

I just sit there, watching Kai mumble. His eyes are sort of glazed over, and he's staring numbly at the table. I listen intently to what he's saying, having to lean in to hear him.

"The ripples fade away into this dark emptiness. I reach down, and I feel the soft features of the feather between my curved fingers. Once again, I feel no ground or water or anything underneath it, holding it up."

What the hell?

I stare at Kai inquisitively, pondering what to do. I keep listening to his rambling, though it means nothing to me. I don't understand it, and I don't know how I possibly could figure it out.

Distressed at my helplessness, I sigh heavily, and I say, "It's going to be all right, Kai. You'll recover somehow. We'll pull you out of this mess together, and leave it all behind with renewed friendship."

I reach across the table to my friend. I place my hand on his shoulder, expecting him to keep mumbling. But instead, he flinches and squeezes his eyes shut. I am so startled, I yank my hand back, and continue staring, but with newfound surprise. I didn't know he reacted at all to outside stimuli, but a tiny flicker of hope's fire ignites in my heart, increasing slowly with every beat.

I persist in listening to Kai's nonsensical rambling, and my belief of his recovery mounts.

_Blackness is all around me still, and uneasiness is flowing with my blood._

_I wish Dranzer was here to offer me condolence._

_Out of nowhere, a voice begins to echo throughout the void I'm in._

_It sounds so familiar, so distant._

_But so familiar…_

_Who does this voice belong to?_

_Why are they speaking to me?_

_I know it is not Boris or Voltaire, but a sudden fear rises to my throat that this voice belongs to someone against me, someone who will hurt me._

_Is there anyone who's not against me?_

_Only Dranzer is not against me._

_And maybe those boys from my flashbacks._

_This voice is speaking unintelligibly._

_And I wonder if I know what this voice is saying, then I will recognize who it belongs to._

_So I try with everything that I have to understand the words floating to my eardrums._

_But I can't comprehend what the voice is saying._

_All I can make of it is that it is soothing._

_This voice sounds so calm, so comforting, so familiar._

_And I wish I knew who it belongs to._

_Suddenly, a hand materializes in front of me._

_This hand has the same milky skin that I do._

_I feel fear overtaking all other feelings that pound in my chest with my heart, that live inside of my soul._

_This hand extends to me, touches me._

_I recoil, thrusting my body backwards. _

_The hand shoots back, and it fades away._

_What was that? _

Something drops to the 'ground', and I flinch.

_I gaze downward, and I see white ripples spreading outward underneath me._

_Another drop of something falls, and I note it's from my face._

_I can feel it, all of a sudden, dribbling down my cheek,_

_Placing a hand on my face, I feel a warm liquid._

_I stare at my hand as I move it in front of my eyes._

_A thick, crimson liquid is settled upon it, trickling between my fingers, along my arm, down to the 'ground'._

_Blood._

_More blood falls off my face. _

_I'm so scared, but I try to swallow it down._

_My heart is hammering in my ears, and I close my eyes._

"_Go away…" I whisper._

_I don't know what I am bidding away, but I hope it works._

_After a few moments of hearing nothing but my labored breathing and throbbing heart and dripping blood, I open my eyes._

_A wave of cold rushes over me as I take in my fresh surroundings._

_I am back in a field, only this time, snow coats the ground._

_The sky is a midnight blue, with stars peppered throughout it._

_The trees are black, spiky shadows._

_I glance at my hand and wipe my face, only to find the blood on both areas is dry._

_I recall the feather, and I realize that it must have been a foretaste of the touch that made me bleed._

_I stare up at the sky, and only now do I notice there are salty teardrops on my cheeks._

_I hate this place, now, and I want to escape._

_I only wish I know where I am._

* * *

Greetings! Man, this is cool, seven reviews! Celebration! And all seven reviewers requested of me to continue this fic. :)

**waterlily**: You're right, he ain't weak. And yeah, Tyson probably would've driven him crazy. :) Thanks for reviewing!

**A Fourtunate Cookie**: I see your point with it being rushed, but oh well. Thank you for your review and the fortune!

**Blood of the Wolf**: You were grounded, and you still read the first chapter? Nice of you to show your dedication to fanfiction, but still bad to disobey your parents (-cough-even.though.i.have.too.who.hasn't-cough). Anyway, thanks for the review with all the kind words!

**From the Ashes**: Here you are, another chapter. You were so polite about it, that's appreciated, even if that sounds dorky. Thanks for the review!

**StarlightPhoenix**: Hey, friend! Haven't e-mailed in a while, eh? I'm scared of your Beyblade- character-rocket-launcher army. Thank you for reviewing!

**random kai fan**: Yep, another chappie. Glad you think it's cool, it was kinda supposed to come off that way. Thank you for the review!

**KinaihiriHiwatari**: Slave? Excuse me? Don't appreciate that. _sniffles_ Oh well, I don't care, you were kidding (right?). Glad it made sense. Thank you for reviewing!

By the way, aforementioned reviewers, all of you have cool pennames! (I didn't see the point in typing that out seven times.)

Please review, and I'll try to update soon!

have a nice day

CyborgRockStar


	3. III

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade; it belongs to Aoki Takao.

**Watching Him In His Field Of Memories**

**3**

Ian's POV

Tala just strolled into the apartment our team is sharing, looking lost in his thoughts. Bryan asked him how Kai is, and he just nodded, wandering off to his room.

"He seems…distant. More than usual," Bryan says, watching the space where Tala had just been.

Spencer and I nod in agreement. I wonder what could have happened to make him be so thoughtful this afternoon.

"Think we should do something for him?" I question.

"Like what?" Bryan directed the question at me.

"I don't know," I shrug.

Bryan snorts. "Well, I wanna know why he's in his head more all of a sudden."

"Don't say it like that," Spencer abruptly says. All of us are anxious about Kai being in the institution, except perhaps Bryan; if he's truly that concerned about the mental health of our childhood friend, he's not doing a very good job of showing it. Then again, he never was one to express care. Well, he did occasionally when we were smaller, but those days are long gone.

"Fine…I'll rephrase." Bryan rolls his eyes. "I want to know why Tala's being all thoughtful and quiet and ignoring us. More than usual, anyway."

Once again, Spencer and I nod.

"Should we talk to him?" I ask.

"I'm not," Bryan says automatically. "If his mind is going the way of Kai's, then I don't want to be the one to find out."

"Bryan…," I mutter heatedly, glaring at my lilac-haired friend.

Spencer turns his attention to his hands resting in his lap. He usually tries to avoid confrontations with the rest of the team; just the opposite of Bryan, who seems to enjoy instigating conflicts.

"Why don't you go talk to him? It was your idea," Bryan says to me.

"Fine," I give in.

I stand, shooting another glare--the onesthat our team is so known for--toward Bryan. He disregards it and watches me head toward Tala's room.

The door to Tala's room is open, and Tala is inside, sitting on his bed, staring at the wall in front of him. He's absently stroking Kai's beyblade, which was Kai's only possession, other than his launcher, that he had with him when admitted to the institution. The doctors gave it to his friends, and Tala gets to have it until Kai recovers.

Tala gazes at me when I enter. I blurt out, "What's up with you?"

"What?" He seems a bit taken aback by the question.

"You seem…lost in thought. Something happen to you at the institution?"

He hesitates, staring at me emotionlessly. "Yes," he finally confesses.

"What happened?"

Again, he hesitates, giving me that stare with his icy eyes. "Kai…reacted…to me touching him."

My eyes widen involuntarily. "What? And you didn't tell us this right away? That's brilliant news!"

Surprisingly, a smile curves Tala's lips. "Sorry…it is good. I think…I'm just a little shocked that it happened. And it wasn't a good reaction on his part anyway."

The smile drops, and Tala goes back to staring at the wall.

"What do you mean?"

"Well…he flinched, shut his eyes…basically, looked like he was in pain."

I mulled this over. "In pain? What did you do to him?"

"I touched his shoulder is all."

We are both silent, each in our own thoughts. Bryan breaks into the stillness. "So, you weren't harassing him or something?"

We look over toward the door to see Spencer and Bryan gazing at us.

"No," Tala responds with some harshness.

Bryan just shrugs.

"There's more," Tala switches the subject.

Our eyes turn to him, waiting for him to speak.

"Kai was mumbling stuff, remember?"

We nod.

"I heard some of what he was mumbling today. It didn't make any sense." Tala grows silent, and he averts his gaze back to the wall. "It sounded as if…he was narrating his actions."

None of us say anything for a moment, but wouldn't you know who decided to put in a comment.

"What the hell? 'Narrating his actions'? That sounds mental, but what actions? He's in his mind," Bryan mutters.

Tala quickly turns to him and glares. "Shut up," he mumbles brusquely. Bryan complies. "And something must be going on in his mind. It's not like he's unconscious or anything that would put him in eternal blackness."

The three of us nod in agreement.

"At least he reacted, though," I say after a few moments, trying to lighten the mood. Some tension dies away, but Tala seems to be really stuck on Kai's reactions and mumblings. But that's understandable: they were always close friends.

_As I stand here in this snowy field, and diminutive bumps raise up on my skin from the cold, I can see nothing threatening._

_I plop down on the snow, my fear locked back in its cage, and the peaceful contentment I felt before breaking free of its strangled bonds._

_I lay back, and all of the freezing water crystals sting my skin with piercing cold._

_It begins to tint pink, but I just ignore it, and focus on this passive feeling._

_I gape at the stars, and I push everything back in my mind: all of the memories, the thoughts of Dranzer, the sound of that familiar voice._

_As a gentle breeze blows by, and I involuntarily shiver, the stars start to move._

_I stare in amazement as they rearrange themselves._

_But I guess I shouldn't be that amazed, what with all the other shit that's been going on here._

_The stars form a giant square against the navy blue backdrop._

_Everything is silent and unmoving, until another breeze blows through._

_At that moment, an image flashes in the sky, inside the square of stars._

_The stars are acting as a movie screen to whatever is playing in the sky._

_It is me, from a memory that I recall viewing before._

_The memory is playing out like a video, and I find myself absorbed in it._

_All of my senses diminish to nothing, except for the sight and hearing required to view this memory._

_FLASH_

_I, as a little boy, sat in the middle of one of those dimly lit rooms._

_Blood caked the side of my face._

_Tears mingled with the crimson liquid._

_The red haired boy was kneeling in front of me, peering into my eyes. _

"_Are you all right, Kai?" he said to me._

_I whimpered in response._

"_What did he do?"_

"_B-Boris," was all that came from my lips._

"_I know, but what did he do?"  
_

_I whimpered again._

"_I'll help you clean up," he offered, and scurried off somewhere._

_He came back a few moments later, dabbing the blood from my face._

_He was dabbing, I was crying…_

_And slam!_

_I'm back._

_Back feeling the chilling winds and freezing snow, smelling the snow and feeling the cold sweep into my nostrils with every breath._

_The blood, cooler than before, is dribbling down my face again, staining the snow garnet._

_My peacefulness is disrupted, as I think of the voice of that little redheaded boy._

_He has the same voice as the one that echoed incomprehensibly before through the blackness I so despise._

_I wrack my brain, trying tostir up the memories now rather than push them back, because I must know who he is._

_Frustrated, I sit up, and I scream, "Who are you? Who the fuck are you?"_

_I stare wildly up at the sky, only to see that the stars are back to their random pattern. _

_I breathe heavily, focusing on the vapory wisps that came with my breath._

_And then, something happens._

_Dranzer happens, to be precise._

_It comes flying steadily, screeching a mighty cry, over the horizon._

_I watch it approach with some happiness and relief crackling through the undesirable anger and frustration._

"_Dranzer…" I murmur as it alights next to me, a smile dancing in its black eyes._

_Dranzer nuzzles its beak against my face, and the icy temperature of my body hits me hard._

_Automatically, I stand and cling to Dranzer, hoping to feel some of its body heat._

_Dranzer purrs melodically, and wraps its wings around me._

_I'm swallowed up once again, but not by some feared or hated darkness._

_I am encased in Dranzer's silky, red feathers, and warmth starts to tingle in my limbs._

_For what seems an eternity, I am nestled into Dranzer's wings, and I forget about all the harsh feelings in my heart._

_The great beast eventually lifts its wings from me, and lets out another screech._

_Dranzer flaps a wing gently, and a feather drifts from it._

_I gawk coldly at the feather, knowing this one, too, probably holds a memory like the others._

_Scowling, I kick blood-stained snow over the feather, and its tip protrudes from the tiny pile of frozen water and crimson liquid mixed with my blue face paint._

_Dranzer growls in its throat, and with the talons of its feet scrapes the feather, now ramshackle and soggy, from the snow._

_A wind blows past, sweeping up the feather and causing it to flutter directly into my palm._

_I glare harshly, but that doesn't stop the memory from flooding my mind._

_FLASH_

_Damn these dimly lit rooms._

_Must they be in all of my memories?_

_It casts an eerie shadow on my forgotten past._

_The redhead, still a small child, was sitting on a bed, in this dim room._

_I was sitting on the one opposite him._

"_Don't do it, Kai," he said._

_Damn! _

_Damn that voice!_

_Who does it belong to?  
_

"_I want to. That Black Dranzer looked so cool. You saw its power," I responded, with my eyes shimmering in excitement._

"_But Kai, you don't know if you can handle the strength. Only someone special can do that, Boris said so, remember?"_

"_Boris can shove his words up his ass. I'm gonna take that Black Dranzer for a test run, no matter what you say, Tala."…_

_Tala?_

_Tala?_

_Everything hits me so fast, I don't know what is going on._

_That name resounds in my brain, with a deluge of memories of him._

_There are too many for me to focus on any of them._

_It is frazzling, flustering._

_I don't want all that floating around my head in one huge rush._

_I squeeze my eyes shut, and I throw the feather down._

_I hear Dranzer scream, but it seems so distant._

_Fear wells up inside me that Dranzer is leaving, but I don't open my eyes…fucking memories._

_Something soft touches my bare arm amidst my mental turmoil._

_It feels so soothing and comforting._

_It's slowly massaging my arm, and I like the feeling._

_I hear a purring noise, far off._

_That's consoling too._

_Just the serenity of those outward motions seems comforting right now._

_I put all of my effort into shoving these memories of this redhead boy, this 'Tala', away._

_So ironic, isn't it?_

_I have found the answer I've been seeking, and yet now I wish I had never come across it._

_But now I try to push it all into darkness, and I feel a craving for that field of flowers with clouds hovering in the blue skies._

_I manage to open my eyes, and this plane of reality cracks through the merciless torrent of memories._

_I realize I am kneeling on the ground as if I am about to vomit._

_Tears mingle with the remains of the blue paint of my cheeks._

_I notice the soft feeling was Dranzer's wing, as it stays by my side, purring soothingly._

_I glance up at the darkened sky, desiring a peaceful realm where I can rest._

_But I don't think that'll come soon._

* * *

And there's chapter three. :) Longest chapter yet:) 

**Blood of the Wolf**: Greetings, my dedicated reviewer! How are you doing, dudette? Thanks for the review, but disobeying your mother AGAIN! _sighs_ Oh well, try harder next time, eh?

**Seminai**: Heya, first-time reviewer! What's up? Yeah, his mind is scary. :) Thank you for reviewing.

Please review :)

have a nice day

CyborgRockStar


	4. IV

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade; it belongs to Aoki Takao.

**Watching Him In His Field Of Memories**

**4**

_Dranzer nuzzles me some more._

_It feels comforting._

_I'm still very cold, but at least the blood on my face has dried._

_I can't help but think about Tala._

_His image rolls through my mind, constantly._

_  
I try to forget about him, but I am intrigued by his connection to me in my past._

_Still, I push the thoughts of him to the side, and focus on these consoling feelings of being in this peaceful place with Dranzer._

_Light begins to shine across the horizon, making the deep blue of the sky swell into purple._

_Gradually, a burning red sun rises into the sky, dazzling colors spiraling and twisting everywhere._

_Orange and yellow surround the sun, and the purple of the rest of the sky transforms into light blue._

_Finally, the entirety of the sky is bright blue, and the stars and moon have faded into nothingness._

_It's magical and breathtaking to view that, and for a long while, I forget about all other emotions and thoughts._

_Once the sun is blazing intensely in the blue depths of the sky, the snow starts to melt._

_A sudden fear that it will change into water and consume me like the darkness runs through my veins._

_With luck, the snow just melts into the ground beneath me, leaving smashed green grass blades cobwebbed with water._

_I feel warmer now, with the aid of the sun and Dranzer's silky feathers._

_I suppose I was wrong about not enjoying the luxury of somewhere calm for a while, since this place seems to be a tranquil, happy reverie, a contrast to what I had been feeling and experiencing earlier._

_I sit down, water dampening my already wet pants._

_Dranzer bellows, and flaps its wings toward the sky._

_I watch it with admiration._

_Another one of those dreaded feathers flutters down to the earth, and I swear I can see the name 'Tala' embroidered across it in gold for a split second._

_The feather drops lightly to the ground._

_I make no move to lift it and release the memory trapped inside._

_Dranzer purrs, and nips at my scarf._

"_Why must you give me these memories inside your feathers?" I ask of the phoenix._

_It stares at me intently._

_I move my gaze to the feather, contemplating whether or not to pick it up._

"_Why do you keep showing me Tala?" I interrogate further. _

_Dranzer makes a rumbling noise in its throat, and nudges the feather toward me with its beak._

_Reluctantly, I lift the feather._

_FLASH_

_Tala and I look as if we are only six._

_The two of us stood at opposite sides of a beydish, dull light and stone walls surrounding us._

_Two beyblades were spinning in the middle of the 'dish, and one was wobbling fiercely._

_Finally, it fell over, and Tala looked upset._

"_Ivanov…that's your third consecutive loss," an all-too-familiar voice said from the shadows._

_Boris stepped out, towering over us with an unhappy look plastered on his ugly face._

"_There are severe consequences for that, boy," he continued._

_Boris balled his hand into a tight fist, and his joints crackled menacingly._

_Tala's eyes widened, but he said nothing._

"_No, Boris, don't hit Tala, it's my fault he lost, not his!" the little form of me cried out._

_Boris turned to glare at me harshly._

"_There are no punishments for victory, young Kai. But you have done two things to deserve my anger and some smacks. You have not shown me due respect, for one. To you, I am 'sir', understand, boy? And defiance is not tolerated."_

_Boris reached his hand forward and grabbed Tala's firey red hair..._

_I drop the feather, staring wide-eyed at the air in front of me._

_He hit us?_

_Dranzer purrs again, and picks at my hair with its beak._

_With a heavy sigh, I stand, causing the mighty phoenix to move its head aside._

_I amble off through the field, thinking aboutall this 'Tala' and I must have gone through together as children._

_The sound of rushing water resounds in my ears, and I note a stream ahead._

_I step up to it, and I stare down at my reflection._

_Blue face paint is smeared carelessly across my cheeks._

_Dried blood is settled on one side of my face._

_I kneel next to the stream, and dip my hands into it._

_I lift water to my face with my cupped hands, and splash the cool liquid across my features, scrubbing the paint and blood away._

_When I look at my reflection again, water droplets are dribbling from my now clean face, disturbing the image._

_Satisfied, I stand again._

_But…fuck._

_That 'Tala' enters my mind again._

_I can't help but picturing that little boy; with his prominent red hair, long red bangs, crystal-like blue eyes with hints of emotion, pale skin…_

_It's haunting…_

_He's haunting…_

_I glare at my reflection, sick of seeing images of this boy._

_I turn, and stalk back to where Dranzer is placidly waiting for my return._

_A garnet feather juts from its beak._

"_No," I refuse._

_Dranzer stares at me with a pleading look in its deep, black eyes._

_With scorn of these memories, I rip the feather from its beak._

_The precious feather tears apart, with half remaining clutched in Dranzer's beak, and the rest held in my hand._

_Blood begins dripping from the feather slowly._

_I glare at the liquid with contempt as I throw down the part of the feather I hold._

_It flutters aimlessly, droplets of blood spiraling out of it randomly._

_When it lands, I stomp on it and grind it into the ground._

_Dranzer releases the other part of its feather, and emits a growl._

"_Sorry, Dranzer," I mutter heatedly, scowling at the remnants of the feather._

_It flicks another feather at me with its wing._

_I divert its touch by moving my shoulder an inch._

_Dranzer growls again, and gawks at me with a look saying it would glare if it could._

_Reluctantly, I lift the feather from the ground._

_Instantaneously, a memory washes into my mind._

_FLASH_

_Tala stood before a beydish in a stadium full of blazing lights and screaming people._

_He wasn't a little boy anymore; he was a teenager._

_Apathy radiated from him as he prepared his beyblade for a launch._

_Another boy…one I recall from another memory…stepped up to the opposite side of the dish._

_His dark blue hair hung messily down his neck, partially covered with a cap, and his eyes are deep blue and full of life._

_Some energetic emcee yelled the signal for them to launch, and the two boys complied._

_I watch them beyblade each other, and speak to each other, but I'm more focused on Tala, interested in knowing who he is._

_Eventually, the other boy won._

_Tala smirked, and said that he 'chose to lose'._

_The other boy seemed infuriated, but the memory disappears before I can see more…_

_With a glare, I toss the feather away._

"_Why can't you show me something that will tell me who he is?" I grumble to the mighty phoenix._

_Dranzer just gazes at me and purrs._

"_Fine," I give in, "but I better find out who he is soon."_

_Dranzer turns its back to me and crouches down, producing a commanding growl._

_It spreads its wings and glances at me._

_I close the gap between us, and I hop up onto Dranzer's back._

_With a bellow of delight, Dranzer lifts itself up into the air, and we fly through the sky, sun beaming down on us._

_This feeling of flying is exhilarating._

_The wind rushes past us as I grasp Dranzer's feathers._

_I forget about Tala for a while, and just relax up here in the sky, suppressing the dread of what horrors lie ahead in this odd dimension._

_Ignoring my surroundings,I just feel, just live, right here, in this moment, riding on the back of my only friend, this mystical phoenix._

--

Hihihi again! 19! 19! Yay! I got 19 reviews! _happy dance _

**StarlightPhoenix**: Meepit, rocket launchers… _cries in corner_ Anywho, glad you enjoyed. Hope you like this chappie! And, to answer your question from your "I'm Walking Down The Boulevard" review, uh, I think I got that e-mail. _shrugs _I'm pretty sure. Have you e-mailed me recently? I think my e-mail account might be screwed up. _sweatdrop _Also, you recommended me to someone? I'm flattered! Anyway, thanks for reviewing!

**Reka**: Are there lots of stories about Kai being mental? _ponders_ Whatever, I'm happy you think so highly of mine! Hope you liked this chapter! Cool name, BTW. And thank you for reviewing!

**Blood of the Wolf**: Of course I understand the importance of chocolate, who doesn't? And, wow, that whole 'fruit' thing was poetic. But I guess you are a poet, so yeah. I'm glad you're so dedicated to reading my fics! Thanks for reviewing!

**ed**: Thank you for the compliments. Here is more! So glad you like! Thank you for reviewing!

**Hazel-Beka**: Maybe he'll get better soon…maybe he won't! Mwahaha! _cough_ Sorry. I'm so glad you think I'm good at writing. Thanks for reviewing!

**DM666**: Happy Land! My favorite place! _does happy dance_ But don't make fun of Kai just 'cause he's crazy! Contemplating simply rots your mind, so yeah. Thanks for reviewing!

**DM666**: Hey, you reviewed twice! I don't mind. But this time…you parodied a song! NO! THE INHUMANITY! _cough_ Anyway, thanks for reviewing again.

**waterlily**: Don't worry about not reviewing, it's cool. Yeah, I think he's recovering, maybe? I don't even know. _sweatdrop_ And I have no clue how insane people's minds work (aside from myself…but I'm not stuck in my mind like Kai is…) so I just made up all that. Thank you for reviewing!

Please and thank you R&R!

have a nice day

CyborgRockStar


	5. V

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade; it belongs to Aoki Takao.

**Watching Him In His Field Of Memories**

**5**

Max's POV

Sunshine blinds me as I wake up to another day. Sitting up, I blink wearily. Another day…just the thing I don't want to face. It's just one more day we can scratch off without Kai.

Looking at the bed next to me, I can't help but smile, seeing Tyson sprawled on his bed, oblivious to anything around him. I'm glad at least he's not being affected at night by this. I, for one, am quite…well…traumatized, I suppose is the word.

Days just go by, pointless and meaningless, because Kai is all I can think about. The way he was so strong, he could take anything…and now, the way he's….

And nights are just as bad for me. I look forward to sleep after a long, dull, worthless day. But sleep is no escape. For now, I dread what I'll see in my dreams, or nightmares.

Sometimes, all I see in a dream is Kai, just as he is in the hospital. And occasionally, I can hear what he's saying, but it's incomprehensible. It's quite odd. But I think that idea got into my head because yesterday Tala called us and relayed his individual visit with Kai to us.

Oh, and that's another thing. We've agreed that we all would like a visit with Kai alone. The Demolition Boys get to go first, since they were friends with Kai at the Abbey long before we were in his life. I'm anxious about my turn. What do I do? What do I say? He probably can't hear me. But from what Tala said, he'll be able to feel me. And who knows, maybe that's his first sign of recovery, so by the time my turn comes around, he _will_ be able to hear me….

Shoving this to the back of my mind, I lift myself up, and venture into the kitchen area of the large apartment Mr. Dickenson rented for us. Ray is sitting there, by his lonesome, guzzling something from a mug. Coffee, probably.

Because of the fact that Ray usually shared a room with Kai when we stayed at hotels, Ray seemed to be his closest friend out of all of us. And it shows, the way he is reacting. It seems he can't get any sleep at night, just stays up, drinking coffee and thinking about who knows what.

My worry for him is displayed clearly on my face when I ask him, "Did you get any sleep last night, Ray?"

The Chinese boy looks up to meet my gaze. "A few hours."

I nod understandingly, and slump into a chair across the table from him.

"If there's anything you want to talk about, Ray—" I begin, but he cuts me off.

"No, I'm fine, Max," he lies blatantly. "Really, if you want to worry about someone, other than yourself, I would pick Tyson."

"Tyson?"

"Yeah." Ray sighs. "He's been trying to cover up his emotions on this whole thing by acting the way he normally does. But it's obvious that he's pretending. If you're going to confront anyone, confront Ty'."

Gulping hard, I nod again, realizing what Ray says is true.

Many interminable minutes pass, and I find myself staring at the clock, watching the hands tick slowly around their circle.

Ray finishes his coffee, and sets the empty mug in the sink with the ever-growing pile of dirty dishes we've neglected to clean. Sitting back down, he yawns, exposing his catlike fangs.

"If there's anything _you _need to talk about, Max, I'm available," Ray informs me seriously. "And people tell me I'm a good listener."

Nodding, I gawk at my hands in my lap, feeling compelled to spill out my feelings to my friend.

Instead, I put on my trademark smile, and look up, about to tell him I'm okay, but he beats me to words.

"Seriously, Max,"—his voice sounds solemn—"don't hide behind your smile the way Tyson is. This is eating him up, and I don't want it to do the same to you. So talk if you have to. Or at least think about it."

All I can do is stare, faux smile fading. Again, I nod, pondering when and what I should tell him.

Satisfied, Ray stands. "I was thinking, maybe we ought to train some today. Kai would want us to train, don't you think?"

The last sentence is spoken quietly.

"Yeah. He's gonna be really mad at us for laying off our training, isn't he?" I question, allowing the corners of my mouth to tug up slightly, genuinely this time. Ray returns the smile, watching me fondly.

"He sure is. I'll take over our training regimen for now, okay?"

"Sure."

My raven-haired pal wanders off, yawning. I watch him disappear through a doorway, frown returning to my features.

There's so many—_too_ many—problems to worry about. Too much burdening our souls.

Kai's…well, I hate to say this, but basically…he's gone _insane_.

Tears prickle my eyes at the thought.

And Ray…. Clearly, he's having trouble dealing with life right now. He's not getting enough sleep or proper nutrition….

And Tyson is hiding everything, determined to be our comical relief and keep our spirits up so we don't all fall into depression or something. He's built up invisible barriers around his heart, bidding away true emotion.

And Kenny…is quieter, more reserved. He's shut up in his room, typing away at his laptop; we hardly see him anymore.

Sighing, I ponder what I can do. There must be something, right? I'm known for my optimism, why am I letting Tyson do my job?

At this thought, I stand, prepared to take action.

Firstly, I wander to Kenny's room; he's probably up by now.

"Kenny?" I call softly, knocking on his door.

I hear gentle footsteps and the door clicking unlocked. Soon, the small boy materializes in the miniscule gap between wall and door. "Yes, Max?"

His voice sounds hoarse; hasn't been used recently. His clothing and hair are unkempt, far from the usual formal neatness of Kenny's countenance.

"I…need to talk with you."

Following a brief pause, Kenny allows me to enter his room.

Nothing in Kenny's room is out-of-place, though his bedcovers are strewn messily over his mattress and his laptop sits opened on top of them.

Plopping down on his bed, Kenny peers up at me. "What do you need to talk about?"

I close the door quietly behind us, and gaze at my troubled friend. "You."

Kenny's impassive expression doesn't change one bit. "Me?" His tone does take on one of confusion, though.

"Yeah…."

I claw desperately in my mind for something to say, to spur conversation and get him to spill his guts.

"Um…it's just…we're worried about you…," I stutter uneasily. "And, um…we're all having difficulty dealing with this…incident…with Kai…and…I think we just oughta talk to each other about stuff, ya know?"

Kenny nods sagely, lips pursing. Only when he sniffles do I realize he's trying not to cry.

My eyes widen slightly, and I scurry toward him. "Um…so..."

"I don't _know_ anymore, Max," Kenny interrupts, feelings suddenly screaming out on his features. "I just don't know! I feel…I feel…so…gr!" He begins cradling his head in his hands, elbows resting on his knees. A solitary teardrop makes a beeline for his chin. "I…I feel…awful. I feel guilty. I feel remorseful. I feel saddened. I feel…angry!"

"Um…." I sit down next to him, and place a hand on his shoulder. "Explain…why you feel that way. Maybe I can help you sort it out."

I remember what to do in situations like these from some hardships in my childhood: My parents spoke those exact words to me.

"W-well…"

"Start with…guilty."

"…I feel like there must be something I could have done…to help him."

"…There _wasn't _anything we could do." In some part of my heart, I admit that I feel the same way as Kenny: Wasn't there something we could have done?

"And remorseful…because I didn't see anything of the sort coming. And I never was a great friend to him."

"…He kept to himself a lot, you know. It wasn't easy to get close. And none of us saw anything coming…. I don't think even he did." Inside: I could have gotten closer to him, I should have tried harder….

"And…saddened…he's in a mental hospital, for God's sake!"

Kenny's little outburst there startles me: That isn't something he would normally say.

Nodding in agreement, I mutter, "True, that's true…. And angry?"

"I feel angry…because there's nothing I can do to help him."

"There's nothing any of us can do to help him now, except be there for him." Inside: Why am I so incapable?

Kenny looked up at me, swiping a tear away. "All we can do is watch…."

Bryan's POV

"How'd it go?" Ian asks me, appearing uncharacteristically eager and interested.

I shrug, not caring one way or another about this whole 'Kai' business. Sure, he's an old friend from childhood…but that's in the past. I don't give a damn about him anymore—he's just another faceless person in the crowd.

"Anything…_interesting _happen?"

"If you call incessant muttering about Dranzer interesting, than very much so."

"I'm serious, Bryan."

"No. And I didn't bother touching him. Why was Tala touching him anyway?"

"…"

Ian stalks off, shooting me a dangerous look. I know he's annoyed by my typical cool and callous attitude in this whole thing, and so are the others…though I don't understand why. Kai betrayed us before, abandoned the Abbey…and then suddenly he's back. And he didn't even remember us. Then what does he do? Goes back to those snot-nosed brats….

So why do they care?

And…why are they actually acting as though they care? Displaying emotion is weak, they know that better than the rest of the world.

Hell…. They wouldn't give a damn if it was me, so why do they care about that worthless traitor, _Kai_?

I blame that Tyson kid for messing with Tala's head…after he won the Championships. Feh. And then it must have spread to Spencer and Ian like a virus.

Caring is useless…why do they bother?

Especially for Kai?

Hmpf.

Foremost on my mind is…why do _I _feel on edge about this whole thing?

* * *

Hey everyone! It's kinda been a while, eh? (cough-overamonth-cough) Sorry…I got an evil writer's block thing on this. Gr.

I attempted to complete this chapter…and I know it's a little weak. But hey, I wanted to post it…so yeah. I hope it's okay, at any rate.

School's starting up again soon (in three days, _sadness_) and on the weekends I'll try to work on my fics as much as possible. But the next chapter of this might not—and probably won't—be out for a long while, again. Sorry.

**ed**: Aw, thank you! Again, I'm very glad you like it! Hope you enjoyed this one! Thank you for reviewing!

**DM666**: It's inhumane to put a song in a review…because…uh…I dunno. Ask that polar bear over there. :) Nah, I was just, like, happy-hippy-hoppy when I wrote that 'inhumane' thing. :) Thanks for reviewing!

**AnimeBando33**: Thank you for the kind compliments! I don't know if he'll get better. I really don't know where I'm going with this story, actually. _sweatdrop_ Anyway, thanks for the review!

**StarlightPhoenix**: Heya! What do ya mean you wish you were as good as me? You're an awesome writer! Seriously, mate! I'll prove it: (Hey! _pulls a random passerby over _passerby: Uh, yes? me: Isn't she a good—no, great author? _shoves 'Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder' into their hands _passerby: _reads it _Yes, yes, this is very good, nice use of words. But who's Kai and Tala and— me: Nevermind that. Thank you for your time. _shoves person away_) And it was kind of bumming to know that my e-mail's messed up… _sigh_ Thanks for helping me figure that out anyway. And I'm sure you noticed, I really liked your one-shot. Thank you for reviewing!

**waterlily**: Aren't we all insane? _grins_Seriously, though, who has the power to say what's normal? I mean, one person's 'craziness' may be another person's sanity, get it? That's just my fragment of sanity kicking in, you can ignore it if you like. ...Relaxing, eh? Interesting thought…. Hi-5 for you too! Thank you for reviewing!

**ghostymangarocker**: No, this isn't TalaKai, and there won't be any pairings. The only reason Kai keeps seeing Tala and thinking about him and stuff is because Tala was his best friend in childhood (in my version, anyway). So, in my lil' realm, they were best friends, then Kai forgot about his Abbey life, then they met in the World Championships again, but Kai didn't remember Tala, then Kai got stuck in his mind, and now he's remembering more of his past including his friendships. _takes deep breath_ And that was a long explanation. oO Thank you for the review!

**Blood of the Wolf**: Yay, I have a fan:) Hey, thanks for reminding me about the D Boys, I got caught up in writing about Kai's little world and I forgot to write about them. _sweatdrop _And I'm going to thank you for R&R-ing anyway, because reviews make my day and they're much appreciated! So…thanks for reviewing!

**Cathy**: Oh wow, it made you cry? Cool! Well, I don't mean it's cool if you cried, I mean it's cool if it was good enough to provoke tears. Thank you for reviewing!

**Hazel-Beka**: Don't worry about not reviewing earlier, I didn't update until later! And yeah, 'tis frustrating for Kai, not remembering anything. He got this way because in the first season he was remembering stuff about his past, and, in my version here, it was too overwhelming for him, so basically he blocked most memories of anything and got stuck in his mind. Whee. Thank you for reviewing!

**Darksouled Saiyanphoenix**: Aw, thanks so much:) Have a cookie for your kindness. _hands you cookie_ Peace, and thank you for reviewing!

**Kitsune….**: Here are the BladeBreakers! Sort of…. People are always saying "Poor Kai" in their reviews, and not just for this fic, because everyone tortures him. XD Random and blatant observation, there. Thank you for reviewing!

**Arieru**: _falls off chair _Did I read that right? The BEST FIC YOU'VE EVER READ? YAY! _is ecstatic _Thanks so much! _hands you a cookie_ You made my day! Thanks for reviewing!

Sweetness, so many reviews! Mwaha! You all have really inspired me to work on this chapter, ne. Please drop a review before you go, don't be shy now. _grins_

have a nice day

CyborgRockStar


	6. VI

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade; it belongs to Aoki Takao.

**Watching Him In His Field Of Memories**

**6**

_The farther from that field we fly, the colder it gets._

_I grit my teeth against the harsh winds and bitter temperatures._

_Eventually, the clouds dull to a shade of gray, and before I know it, large, white snowflakes begin zigzagging through the air._

_Dranzer bellows a mighty cry, and I clutch tighter to the phoenix._

_Looking back, I can see nothing but the gray clouds and white snow; there's no sign of the peaceful little field I took refuge in._

_I look downward only to find the entirety of the ground coated by a thick drape of snow._

_I grunt, wondering about all the drastic weather changes here._

_Ahead, I can see a building._

_Its stone walls and arched structure look formidable, but they also seem…scary._

_The building reminds me of a cat: they appear harmless and gentle, with an exterior fit to admire, but they can attack viciously with those claws and teeth if you're not careful…._

_But this place looks familiar; I believe I have seen it before._

_What is this place?_

_Dranzer alights gracefully in the front of the iron gates surrounding this building, making it seem even more intimidating._

_I slide off its back, and note the wistfulness that lingers in its eyes._

_Intensely, I stare at the building before me, trying to place it._

_Tala flashes through my mind at that point, and I can't help the glare that narrows my eyes contemptuously._

_Suddenly, as if I was smacked with a wooden plank, I recognize this building._

'_Balkov Abbey'…_

_The words flicker through my mind, striking up some fear in my soul. _

_I shove it away as Dranzer nudges me toward the building._

_I oblige, and meander toward it._

_To my shock, there are two people dressed in odd black attire, resembling that of some cult, standing in front of the huge metal doors that I did not notice before._

_Stopping before I walk up the steps, I stare at them, trying to study their features._

_But their faces are overshadowed by their hoods._

_A tingle runs down my spine at the familiarity of these type of people, but I ignore it and proceed forward._

_Neither moves as I pull open the heavy doors._

_I glance back at Dranzer._

_It's no longer there._

_The doors slam closed behind me as I step inside, the sound echoing ominously. _

_I cast my gaze around before starting forward into this place._

_The feeling that I've been here before is unshakable._

_As I am about to wander into a hallway, a voice calls out from behind me._

"_Hello, Kai."_

_And it's damn familiar, too._

_I turn, interested, only to come face-to-face with a redheaded teenage boy._

_A gasp nearly slips out of my lips, but I stifle it, and mutter, "Tala?"_

"_No, the Queen of England."_

_I glare at hearing this overly-used joke._

_A smirk that I find scarily familiar lands on his lips._

"_What are you doing here, Kai?" _

"_Where exactly is 'here'?"_

"_Balkov Abbey, Moscow, Russia. I thought you'd remember the place you grew up at."_

_This time, I can't suppress the gasp._

"_What?" my question comes, incredulous._

"_Then again," Tala continues, discounting my inquiry, "you didn't remember last time around."_

_Some confusion settles on the other boy's features._

_He asks, "Don't you remember, Kai? The World Championships?"  
_

_I gawk at him blankly, my jaw slightly open, as memories of those boys rush into my mind. _

_Those four boys I first saw…_

_But who are they?_

_Tala must notice my perplexed expression, because he produces a black object from a pocket and questions, "Surely you remember Black Dranzer?"_

_Another memory flashes through my brain._

_FLASH_

_I stood before a cheering crowd again, in front of a beydish._

_Five other adolescents were on the other side._

_All of us launched simultaneously._

_After mere seconds, I had them all defeated._

_The black beyblade I had been using, that seems so familiar, flew back into my hand._

_As I recited some speech about 'cowards not deserving to possess bitbeasts', a glow from my own beyblade sucked in glows from the others' beyblades…_

_I'm completely befuddled, now._

_That black beyblade…Boris offered it to me before. _

_Just recently._

_In that field…_

"_Come now, Kai, don't you recall the most powerful of evils? The one you possessed? That you sought after and even abandoned your friends for?"_

_Shoving all recollection of anything to the back of my brain, I snarl, "What is it that you want, Tala?"_

"_Want? What do I want? …How about a beybattle?"_

_He tosses the black beyblade to me._

_I study it meticulously in my pale hand, examining its gleaming, perfect body…with Dranzer's counterpart pictured in the center of its top._

_Unlike my faithful phoenix, this one's eyes are cold…and lustful._

_Lust…that's what's rising to my chest right now…_

…_An overwhelming lust for power…and victory…and perfection…that can only be achieved with this…._

_Tala produces a gray beyblade from nowhere and attaches it to a gun-like device._

_I find a similar contraption to be in my own palm, and I mimic his movement._

_In a split-second whirlwind of color, the scene of the foyer of Balkov Abbey changes…and becomes a stadium like the many I've seen in my forgotten memories._

_People cheering, the two of us step up to the dish, and take stance._

_And simultaneously, without consulting, we launch our beyblades._

_I don't know what I'm doing—I can't remember it—but somehow, I seem to be doing all the right things._

_Our beyblades are evenly matched, swirls of black and gray, colliding and spinning endlessly._

_But no…this isn't good enough._

_No…._

_I must do better._

_And before I know it, I'm screaming out a command of an attack I've never heard of._

_WHAM!_

_My oppenent's 'blade goes flying…though he catches it._

"_Expected," he says, closing his eyes and smirking._

_I glower._

"_What do you mean, 'expected'?"_

"_I knew that you would come through."_

"'_Come through'?"_

_He opens his eyes, and those impossibly blue depths seem to be searching my soul._

"_Come through with a win, of course, Kai. You're utilizing the weapon you were created for."_

"'_Created for'?"_

"_Jeez…you're slow." _

_He rolls his eyes, pocketing beyblade and launcher._

_Both objects in my hands transform to nothing more but sparkling, golden bubbles, and float away in random directions._

"_You're grandfather had you created to serve his purposes," explains Tala. "You never had parents who loved you or even wanted you…because they were just pawns in Voltaire's master plan. Just like you…and me…."_

_Leaving me with confusion and one final smirk, he spun around on his heel._

_And in that moment of his fluid movement, the scenery morphed back into that peaceful little field…and he was gone._

**--**

This is being updated WAY sooner than I expected…. See, I actually managed to update **all three **of my other fics today, so I decided I would finish writing this chapter and post it! And in the duration of writing this, a new idea struck me for a twist in this fic, heehee. :)

**ghostymangarocker**: …Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? o.O I've seen the preview-y commercials for that…not the movie…and I don't want to see it. Though I find it highly amusing you compare Max's role in my fic to an oompa-loompa's! Yes, Bryan does have a good excuse, poor Bryan, sorta…. Long and pointless is just fine with me. :) Thank you for reviewing, loyal reader!

**Blood of the Wolf**: I gather you missed Kai? Hey, no worries, I missed him too, LOL. You can't kill Bryan, he's vital to the fic! Oh wait…no he's not. Go ahead…slay him! Gyachackhack! (Yes, that's my evil laugh, gyachack!) Erm…anyhow…thank you for reviewing, faithful reader!

**Arieru**: Yeah, lots of people ignore Kenny…but that's 'cause people seem to hate him, I notice, LOL. I don't hate him, though…but I doubt you're going to be reading a lot more about him here. Yayfulness, I'm so happy you like my story so much:) And the longer the review, the better, ne? Thank you for reviewing!

**Darksouled Saiyanphoenix**: Yes…I like cookies too. :) Anywhozlls…thanks for the review!

**Kitsune**: LOL, that does sound evil, but it's so true! Thanks for the review!

**blackheartedchaos09**: LOL, it is fun to torture Kai, dunno why…(hey, that rhymed! XP) Thank you for reviewing!

**RavenToriBlack**: _blushes _Jeez…you really think it's that good:) Sweet…. Hm, I bite at guessing the ending of things, LOL…and you couldn't predict the twists in my fic? Really? Yay! I didn't even realize I was creating something "unpredictable", LOL. And goody-ness…I'm much looking forward to your update. Though, by the time this chapter gets posted, I'm sure you will have already updated, meh…. Thanks for the review!

**carzla**: I think I have not such a good grasp on all the D Boys…_sweatdrop_. Hey, I try…. And about Tyson, yeah…it does make a lot of sense that he and Kai would be the closest…. Ty will come in soon, with an important role…(if I can pull it off….). And I'm all for Tala and Kai friendship too! Thanks for reviewing!

**DM666**: Spencer and Ian care so much 'cause they were Kai's friends at one point…then they started hating him…but they still care. Or something…. You asked too hard of a question. XD And Kenny isn't that stupid…he was just dumb in those episodes with the Dark Bladers…and a few others…yeah…. Thanks for reviewing!

**waterlily**: Yep, real soon...somehow, I pulled that off, LOL. Thank you for reviewing, faithful reviewer!

_falls of her chair _Yeeshes, so many reviews! It's…brilliant! _wipes away a tear of joy _

_cough _

Really, reviews are much appreciated, and I'm stunned at how many I'm getting.Please, drop me one!

Thanks for reading!

have a nice day

CyborgRockStar


	7. AN

Hi everyone!

I'm sorry, but I'm discontinuing "Watching Him In His Field Of Memories". I enjoyed writing it very much, but I've lost interest in it. Also, I really didn't have any more ideas for it.

I'm sorry to anyone who was following "WHIHFOM" (that's long, LOL). Thank you to everyone who's reviewed it and given me support! Every review means so much to me—they all make me so happy. Thank you so very much!

I'm sorry again, but thank you!

God Bless, and have an awesome day!

CyborgRockStar


End file.
